ACCU-THERM® PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER

HEAT TRANSFER PRODUCTS

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Accu-Therm® Operation

Accu-Therm Plate Heat Exchangers Accu-Therm plate heat exchangers are designed toprovide you worry-free, highly efficient heat transferwhether you are processing simple fluids, viscoussolutions, or particulates.

Why Use a Plate Heat Exchanger? The advantages of the Accu-Therm begin with its design. Plate heat exchangers, or PHEs, deliver greater efficiency,lower cost, easier cleaning and maintenance, and closerapproach temperatures than any other heat transfer tech-nology. Compared to spiral and shell-and-tube heatexchangers, PHEs of similar capacity also take up littlefloor space and are easy to expand. The vertical swing-out plates allow you to pack thousands of square feet ofheat transfer area into a small space, while still allowingroom for future growth.

Why Buy an Accu-Therm Plate Heat Exchanger?The Accu-Therm plate heat exchanger stands apart fromthe rest because it is available with a wide array of platesizes and configurations. This means we can build yourunit to suit your application and heat transfer require-ments better than any other manufacturer. Our plates areavailable in sizes of less than 1⁄2 square foot to more than27 square feet (0.05-2.5 square meters). We have severalplate geometries for different heat transfer effects. Andthere’s even an exclusive Free-Flowplate design madeespecially for slurry processing.

How Does the Accu-Therm Plate Heat Exchanger Work?Like PHEs in general, the Accu-Therm plate heat exchanger provides more efficient heat transfer by design.Each unit consists of a series of grooved plates that areindividually gasketed and pressed tightly together by compression bolts within a frame. Fluids enter and exitthe PHE through portholes in one or both ends of theframe. Within the unit, the fluid to be heated or cooledflows down one side of each plate, while the heating orcooling medium flows in the opposite direction across theother side. The great temperature difference created bythese opposite flows makes the closest possible approachtemperature for maximum heat transfer efficiency.

FLOW ARRANGEMENTS While hot and cold fluids flow in opposite directionsacross a single plate, the flow pattern between platescan vary. Plate heat exchanger flow patterns can besingle- or multi-pass. A single-pass arrangementmeans each fluid flows in the same respective direction across all the plates in the unit. A multi-pass arrangement is designed so fluids can changetheir respective flow directions. Single-pass units aresuitable for most applications, but very low flowrates or extremely close-approach temperatures maycall for the multi-pass configuration.

Single-pass arrangementsuitable for most applications.

Multi-pass arrangementfor applications with low

flow rates or close-approachtemperatures.

Accu-Therm® Plate Heat Exchangers

Performance Guarantee Each Accu-Therm unit receives rigorous quality inspec-tions for leaks and pressure capabilities. If your plateheat exchanger does not operate according to yourexact order specifications, our factory service techni-cians will make the necessary adjustments immediately.

On-Time DeliveryMueller has one of the best on-time shipping recordsin the industry. Many orders are shipped in as few assix working days; shipment of equipment with complexspecifications often takes less than four weeks.

Heat Transfer for Every Part ofYour Process You’ll find solutions to every heat transfer need withinour specialized product lines. In addition to Accu-Thermplate heat exchangers, we offer our Temp-Plate® lineof heat transfer surfaces, including immersion andclamp-on sections and custom products; and ourHybrid® heat exchanger, a unique combination of PHE performance in a fully welded, high-pressuredesign. Call us for free literature on these products or to discuss how we can improve your entire heattransfer process.

AUTOMOTIVE Phosphate tank heaters, seal watercoolers, plating solution cooling, paint heating, welderwater cooling, induction heater cooling, hydraulic oilcoolers, quench oil heat exchangers, and coolingtower isolation.

BREWING Brine cooling, water heating, and wortcooling.

CAUSTIC SODA Caustic coolers, acid coolers,hydrogen gas coolers, and brine heaters and coolers.

CHEMICAL Process interchangers, brine heating and cooling, salt refining, process water isolation,vapor condensers, acid heating and cooling, and gas scrubber heaters and coolers.

FOOD Sugar refining, fructose solution heating andcooling, whiskey recuperators, yeast coolers, starchcoolers and heaters, corn syrup cooling, and edible- oil heaters and coolers.

HVAC Cooling tower isolation, free cooling, heatpump systems, thermal storage systems, condenserwater heat recovery, district heating and cooling, sea-water isolation, geo-thermal heating, engine cooling,lube oil cooling, fuel oil heating, generator cooling,and heating water with steam.

MARINE Seawater isolation/exchanger.

METAL WORKING Quench oil coolers, platingheaters and coolers, anodizer heaters and coolers,strike solution cooling, and pickling tank heating.

PETROLEUM Oil refining, natural gas processing, offshore drilling, and petrochemical processing.

POWER Auxiliary cooling circuit isolation, condenserwater isolation, co-generation applications, geo-thermalapplications, refuse burning applications, lubricationoil cooling, and diesel engine cooling and heat recovery.

PULP AND PAPER Digester heaters, blowdownliquor coolers, caustic soda coolers, boiler blowdownheat recovery, white water, and black liquor heating.

STEEL Scrubber coolers, jacket water coolers, slabinduction heating coolers, hydraulic oil cooling, moldwater cooling, refractory liner cooling, roll oil cooling,and cooling of continuous casting installations.

TEXTILE Heat recovery, caustic solution heating andcooling, washers, and dye concentrate heating.

Applications

PLATES• 304 stainless steel

• 316 stainless steel

• Titanium®

• Avesta SMO 254®

• Hastelloy® C-276

• Nickel

• Incoloy®

• Monel®

GASKETS• Nitrile® (NBR)

• Ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM)

• Silicone

• Viton®

• Butyl (resin cured)

• Hypalon®

MATERIALS AVAILABLE

MOST EXTENSIVE SELECTIONMueller offers an extensive selection of plate heatexchangers. Accu-Therm plate heat transfer surfaceareas are available in sizes from less than 1⁄2 squarefoot to more than 27 square feet (0.05-2.5 squaremeters). This broad selection of sizes, combined with multiple embossed patterns and varying flowcapacities, guarantees the best technical solution tospecific heating or cooling requirements.

HIGH FLOW RATESFlows up to 16,000 gpm (60,600 lpm) are possiblewith the largest Accu-Therm plate heat exchanger.This high flow capacity generally eliminates the needfor multiple units in large flow applications, greatlyreducing installation costs.

FRAME ASSEMBLY The frame assembly is a heavy-duty construction,built to very strict tolerances. This ensures optimumplate pack compression and leak prevention.

MORE SQUARE FEET OF HEAT TRANSFER SURFACEA single Accu-Therm unit can have up to 25,000square feet (2,323 square meters) of heat transfer surface. This extensive surface area, combined withhigh thermal efficiency, offers potential for tremendousheat transfer capacity.

HEAT TRANSFER PLATEA Mueller Accu-Therm is a precision-engineered, high-qualityplate. Its performance criteriainclude high thermal efficiency,uniform fluid distribution, minimal fouling, clean operation, and suitability forfull differential pressure rating.

GASKETSAccu-Therm gaskets are designed to positively locatein gasket grooves. Also, gaskets are fabricated of carefully selected compositions to ensure trouble-freeperformance. The snap-in feature (available on mostmodels) is useful for easy gasket removal andreplacement.

CONNECTIONSThe studded port is the standard construction on all but the smallest Accu-Therm unit.This design provides absolute protectionfor heat transfer plates under all pipe load-ing conditions. In addition, all studdedports can be fully lined to protect againsterosion of frame material and corrosion ofheat transfer plates. Lap-joint, weld-neck,and ferrule connections are available.

SHROUDSDurable shrouds are standard on all Accu-Therm unitsand are OSHA approved. These shrouds protectplates and gaskets and help maintain a clean, distinc-tive appearance for the life of the heat exchanger.

INSPECTION AND TESTINGThe Accu-Therm unit is subjected to rigorous qualityassurance inspections. For example, to ensure allunits are leak tight under all possible operating conditions, each circuit is independently tested at full design pressure with the other circuit open toatmosphere. Then, all circuits are tested simultaneouslyat full test pressure. ASME registration is available onall of our heat exchangers.

Accu-Therm Exclusive Benefits

Shown with shroud removed.

HIGH EFFICIENCY HEATTRANSFER PERFORMANCEThe embossed pattern of the MuellerAccu-Therm heat transfer plates promotes high turbulence at lowfluid velocities. The high turbulenceresults in very high heat transfer coefficients. “U” val-ues of 1,500 and greater are common.

REDUCED FOULING The Accu-Therm plate heat exchanger’s high turbu-lence, uniform fluid flow, and smooth plate surfacereduce fouling and the need for frequent cleaning.

COMPACT SIZEBecause of the high thermal efficiencyand high surface density, the MuellerAccu-Therm requires 1⁄5 to 1⁄2 less floorspace than other types of equivalent-duty heat transfer equipment. You canalso service and maintain the plate heatexchanger in the same area it occupieswhen in operation.

EASY TO INSPECT AND CLEANBy simply removing the compression bolts and slidingaway the movable end frame, you can visually inspectevery square inch of the Accu-Therm heat transfer sur-face. The unit also lends itself to easy and economicalclean-in-place (CIP) procedures because the amount ofretained liquid is very low.

TRUE COUNTERFLOWIn the plate heat exchanger, fluids flow in oppositedirections, resulting in greater effective temperaturedifferences. This reduces the amount of heat transfersurface required.

CLOSE-APPROACH TEMPERATURESAn important factor inregeneration and heatrecovery applications isthe approach tempera-tures of the heat transfermedia. In the Accu-Therm, very close-approach temperatures of 1-2°F(0.5-1.0°C) are possible because of the true counter-flow and high heat transfer efficiency of the plates.

MULTIPLE DUTIES WITH A SINGLE UNITIt is possible to heat orcool two or more fluidswithin the same Accu-Therm unit by simplyinstalling intermediate divider sections between theheat transfer plates.

LOWER COSTPlate heat exchangers are generally more economicalthan other types of equivalent-duty heat exchangersdue to the higher thermal efficiency and lower manufacturing costs of plate heat exchangers.

LIGHTWEIGHTThe Accu-Therm is lighter in total weight than othertypes of heat exchangers because of reduced liquidvolume and less surface area for a given application.

EXPANDABLEThe expandable feature ofthe Accu-Therm protectsyour investment. If yourheat transfer requirementschange, your Accu-Thermunit will not become obsolete. Instead, you canadjust the unit’s thermalperformance by releasing the compression bolts,rolling back the end frame, and adding or removingheat transfer plates.

HIGH VISCOSITY APPLICATIONSBecause the Accu-Therm induces turbulence at lowfluid velocities, it has practical application for high viscosity fluids.

CROSS CONTAMINATION ELIMINATEDIn the Accu-Therm unit, each medium is individuallygasketed. The space between gaskets is vented to atmosphere,eliminating the possibility of anycross contamination of fluids. This feature makes the Accu-Therm especially ideal for applica-tions where product contamination cannot be tolerated.

Plate Heat Exchanger Benefits

12"

AT4AT10AT20AT805AT80AT130AT 250

24"

36"

48"

60"

72"

84"

96"

108"

AT402 AT405 AT40 AT1306 AT1309 AT2508

Large Selection of Plates Available

ACCU-THERM PLATESVisit our website at

www.accu-therm.com orwww.muel.com.

Mueller Accu-Therm plates are avail-able in several different configurationsfor various heat transfer effects. YourMueller dealer can recommend the bestplate or plate combination for yourneeds.

HORIZONTAL (H)Horizontal herringbone embossing.Highest heat transfer coefficients andpressure drop.

COMBINATIONA combination of H and V plates foran intermediate range of heat transfercoefficients and pressure drop.

VERTICAL (V)Vertical herringbone embossing.Slightly lower heat transfer coefficientsand pressure drop.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE(F, G, AND P)Special plate geometries for customheat transfer needs.

Competition Free-Flow

Competitive plate heat exchangerdesigns claim wide-gap advantages, butpinch points in their design can blockflow and create slurry buildup. TheFree-Flow’s channels handle biggerparticles and require less maintenancebecause they are a constant width.

PLATE GEOMETRIESPlate Designs

AT184FF AT192FFAT40FFAT161FF

12"

24"

36"

48"

60"

72"

84"

96"

108"

Exclusive Free-Flow Design

Horizontal Combination Vertical

CHOOSE FROM THE FOLLOWING ACCU-THERM FRAME SIZES:

C FRAMECompact, cantilever-type frame for usewhere space is limited. Available in sizes upto the AT405.

F FRAMEIntermediate-size frame. Available in sizesup to the AT40.

B FRAMEAvailable for the AT20 and larger units with the capacity to hold up to900 heat transfer plates.

Frame Selection

Complete detailed information for the installation, operation,and maintenance of the Mueller Accu-Thermis available in ourInstruction Manual, No. 9804186.

Call 1-800-MUELLER for immediate mailing orvisit our website atwww.accu-therm.com orwww.muel.com.

AT4 23 8 12 to 227⁄8 1AT10 37 14 141⁄2 to 501⁄2 2AT20 56 24 20 to 1593⁄8 21⁄2AT402 391⁄4 27 201⁄2 to 1591⁄2 4AT405 56 27 201⁄2 to 1597⁄8 4AT40 701⁄4 27 337⁄8 to 1597⁄8 4AT805 63 36 345⁄8 to 1605⁄8 6AT80 85 36 345⁄8 to 1605⁄8 6AT1306 843⁄4 43 503⁄4 to 1763⁄4 10AT1309 991⁄2 43 503⁄4 to 1763⁄4 10AT130 1063⁄4 43 503⁄4 to 1763⁄4 10AT180 1263⁄4 54 74 to 164 14AT2508 120 57 65 to 245 16AT250 134 57 65 to 245 16AT161FF 703⁄4 29 335⁄8 to 1595⁄8 3AT40FF 701⁄4 27 337⁄8 to 1597⁄8 4AT184FF 91 36 345⁄8 to 1605⁄8 8AT192FF 1113⁄4 517⁄16 503⁄4 to 1763⁄4 12

ACCU-THERM PLATE HEAT EXCHANGERMODEL HEIGHT (in.) WIDTH (in.) TYPICAL LENGTH (in.) STANDARD CONNECTION SIZE

AT161FF 3 up to 86 psig (6.9 bar)AT40FF 4 up to 150 psig (11.3 bar)AT184FF 8 up to 86 psig (6.9 bar)AT192FF 12 up to 86 psig (6.9 bar)

T304 stainless steel Nitrile® (NBR)T316 stainless steel Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPDM)Titanium® SiliconeAvesta SMO 254® Viton®

Hastelloy® Butyl (Resin Cured)Nickel Hypalon®

Incoloy®

FREE-FLOW CONNECTIONS AND PRESSURESMODEL STUDDED PORT SIZE*(in.) OPERATING PRESSURES†

MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTIONPLATES GASKETS

* Standard studded port-type connections provide maximum cost effectiveness and are available from stock. Lap joint and weld-neck flanged connections are available at additional cost with longer delivery.

† Temperatures up to 300°F are available on all models.

Note: All specifications are subject to change.

Based on selection: Design pressure up to 350 psi (full differential pressure rating). Design temperature up to 410°F. ASME code standard available.

Specifications

For assistance with custom designing a heat exchanger, contact your Mueller

representative or call 1-800-MUELLER for the representative nearest you.

You’ll be asked to complete the following chart and fax a copy to Mueller.

Our engineers will then figure the exact plate size and

channel configuration you’ll need.

Submit your applications through our website at

www.muel.com • www.accu-therm.com

or call 1-800-MUELLER (683-5537) • Fax: (417) 831-6642.

Fluid Circulated

Flow Rate

Temperature In

Temperature Out

Operating Pressure

Maximum Pressure Drop

Specific Heat

Specific Gravity

Density

Viscosity

Thermal Conductivity

Required Gasket Material

Required Plate Material

ASME Code Requirements

Custom Designing Your PHE

HOT SIDE COLD SIDE

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P.O. Box 828 • Springfield, Missouri 65801-0828, U.S.A.Phone: (417) 831-3000 • 1-800-MUELLER • Fax: (417) 831-6642www.muel.com • E-mail: heattrans@muel.com

International Inquiries • Fax: (417) 831-6906 • E-mail: international@muel.com

©1998-2000 Paul Mueller Company AT-1601-8

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